Waves

Prologue

NORA

Nora Kane opened her computer with both a sense of dread and a sense of hope. It had been a year since she had applied for a four year Australian education visa, as well as a foreign exchange student program near Bondi Beach. It had always been her dream to live near a beach. Growing up in corn covered Nebraska, she couldn't have been farther from achieving it until now.

Nora typed in her password and then opened her email slowly. She wasn't sure if she even wanted to look, for fear that she had not been accepted, but she knew that she needed to anyway.

From: national.foreign.exchange.au

To: norakane.gmail.com

Subject: Congradulations on being accepted into a family

Dear Nora,

It is with our greatest excitement that we inform you of your acceptance into a foreign exchange family.

You will be living with Michael Jenkinson. He lives alone on the coast of Bondi Beach, and is looking forward to your arrival. Your plane will depart next Tuesday. Your ticket is enclosed.

--National Student Exchange Society

Nora leaned back in her chair in surprise, staring at the screen. To be honest, she really hadn't expected to be accepted so easily, especially since it was her first year applying and she wasn't even twelve years old yet.

Michael Jenkinson. She wondered if he was nice. He was at least looking forward to her arrival, so that was good. Hopefully, he could teach her how to swim and surf in the ocean. She'd always wanted to learn both of those, but since Nebraska was very, very landlocked, she'd never had the chance.

Nora clicked accept invitation and shut her computer.

MOUSE

Mouse was still sitting down at his desk, staring at the acceptance email in surprise, when his phone rang.

"Deano?" Mouse picked up the phone after the third ring, still eyeing the screen, where the picture of a little girl grinned back at him.

"Hey Mouse. I was wondering if you'd found out?" Deano was wondering if Mouse had opened the acceptance email yet to see if the girl he'd been looking at had accepted.

"She said yeah," Mouse replied numbly. He still couldn't believe that he was getting a foreign exchange student from Nebraska.

"That's great, man!" Deano exclaimed.

"Yeah..."

"What's wrong?"

Mouse ran a hand through his spiky hair and said, "I'm just nervous, I guess. How do I act around a kid, Deano? And do I act like a dad figure to her or am I just some random dude who houses her? Or do I treat her like a friend? Or-"

Deano interrupted him before he could get any farther. "Michael," He said, using Mouse's real name, "Just relax. She's a foster kid, right? Treat her like you'd treat anyone else and if she wants to see you as more of a father figure, or an uncle or something, let her. You always have the chance to adopt her after the year is over, you know."

Mouse relaxed slightly once he had heard the older man's advice.

"Okay," He agreed.

"I have to go, man. Just don't worry, and I'll see you tomorrow at work," Deano said.

"Okay. But you won't see me tomorrow, it's my day off."

"Have fun, then."

"Bye."

Mouse hung up the phone and stared at the empty screen for a moment, before he returned his gaze back to the computer. The little girl on the screen grinned back at him, her dimples showing clearly and her head tilted sideways at the camera. She was cute, for sure.

Mouse wasn't certain why he'd asked for her to be his foreign exchange student. Originally, in his talk with Hoppo, he'd told his boss that he wanted an older kid so that they could watch out for themselves. Preferably a guy, since Mouse had no idea how to act around hormonal teenage girls.

But when he'd been looking through the ads for the students, the girl had just popped out to him. The same photo that was currently filling his screen was the one he had first seen. Smiling in the sunlight, dimples showing and a bright, cheery expression upon her face. Without realizing he had clicked on the link to her profile, Mouse had soon found himself staring at the information on the page.

NORA KANE

Age 11

Nebraska

(Foster child)

1st year in the program

Would prefer to live at or very close to Bondi Beach

Likes to do karate, play board games, swim, and learn languages

Is allergic to crustaceans, peanuts, and beans

PERSONALITY

INT-P(mediator)

For some reason, Mouse had been mesmerized by the girl in the description. He was startled to see she was a foster child, but the catalog contained no further information, so he guessed that he would only know if he chose to host her.

He'd waited a few days to see if anyone else caught his eye, particularly the guys around seventeen and eighteen. But no one did. And so he applied for her name the day before yesterday.

The man stared for a moment longer at the girl on his computer screen, Nora, before he closed the laptop's lid and ran a hand through his hair again. Well, at least he'd gotten what he'd wanted.